


What to Expect When You're Expecting

by honestgrins



Series: Until the Bitter End [5]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-23 01:16:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8308150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestgrins/pseuds/honestgrins
Summary: Prompt from Flowersprincess16 on FFnet: What was Stefan feeling during 712, when Caroline was cute and happy, then stuck in the hospital without him?





	

"Can I get a cheeseburger and an order of fries, large?"

"Waffle or curly?"

Coughing, Stefan rubbed his neck. "One of each, please." He was hardly a junk food enthusiast, preferring to cook his own meals. The oil-drenched air surrounding him in the fast-food joint already made him sick to his stomach; he had no idea how Caroline managed to keep the greasy food down in her state.

"Is that all?" the man working the register asked, clearly noting his discomfort.

Stefan nodded. "My girlfriend, she's, uh. She's pregnant, told me she was hungry for all the French fries in the world. It came in a 911 text, so I figured I shouldn't show up without them."

"Ah," the guy said in comprehension. "I've been there. It was Cheetos for my wife, had to keep them stocked at all times, in all shapes. She threatened to divorce me several times when we ran out."

A smile pulled at Stefan's mouth, a memory of Caroline's death glare when Bonnie dared to take a fry off her plate coming to mind.

"It's something else, though, isn't it?" the man continued as he took the twenty-dollar bill Stefan passed him. "Watching your girl, knowing she's carrying your kid? God, I must have talked to her belly more than to her in those months."

Stefan's smile dropped instantly. He barely covered the sudden melancholy by checking his watch, rushing away with the bag of fries before he could collect the change. It was ridiculous to be so affected by a stranger's comment, but his heart raced uncomfortably. The man was just trying to be supportive, sharing what he thought was a common experience to them.

But even with a pregnant girlfriend, Stefan wasn't a father-to-be. Caroline wasn't having his kid, a fact they had been dancing around for months. She might have tried to bring up the topic, but the last thing Stefan wanted was for her to worry. They were fine, and they would continue to be fine as long as she was okay. He just needed her to be safe; everything else was secondary.

Shutting himself in his car, Stefan forced himself to remember that. It didn't matter that he didn't feel connected to the babies growing inside Caroline - he loved Caroline. He massaged her back when she couldn't get comfortable, he rubbed her feet after a long day, he fetched her fries when she was hungry. As far as he was concerned, he was doing his job.

Caroline had read every pregnancy book she could get her hands on, and the constant assurances she gave screamed of self-help psychology: I love you. These are temporary renters in my belly, but they don't change us. I love you. It's a life experience I never thought I'd have, and I'm glad you're here with me. I love you.

He knew she loved him, that he was no less important to her because he was only tangentially connected to the pregnancy. Stefan might not be the father, but he was the partner.

On his way to her dorm, then, why did he feel so expendable?

* * *

Stefan's dark thoughts followed him all the way to Whitmore's campus, but they started to dissipate as soon as he could sense Caroline's presence. Listening carefully, he could hear the scratch of a pen and small hums of consideration. He pushed through the door, knowing she would want the food cooling in his hand.

"Hey," he greeted, smiling at the way she immediately brightened at his entrance. "Sorry, I was trying to track down my brother. Curly fries or waffle? I brought both." He joined her on the bed, biting back a laugh at how she attacked the bag of food.

"All of them, everything, gimme gimme gimme," she moaned in appreciation, immediately crunching a fry into her mouth. Stefan grinned at the sight. "Oh my god, I love you."

"Are you talking to me," Stefan asked, barely preventing a pout, "or are you talking to the fries?"

Caroline looked at him seriously. "Do you want me to lie to you?"

Humming, Stefan pursed his lips in humor.

She giggled before leaning forward with a welcome kiss. "Hi, I love you too," she all but sang. "Did you find him?"

"No," Stefan answered, shaking his head. Damon had gotten annoying good at avoiding him.

"Okay, just let me chow down this cheeseburger, and then I will help you track him down," Caroline promised, only to clutch at her back. "Oh," she moaned hoarsely.

Stefan cocked his head, watching her carefully. "Are they kicking again?" He had grown used to the sense of wonder on Caroline's face every time they kicked, but he had a feeling this was somehow different.

"Mmhmm," Caroline answered in a strained voice. "Yeah," she nodded, "just- Ow!"

Even though she was giggling, Stefan could tell how tense she was. He wanted to grab her hand, anything to help her when she was clearly hurting.

"That wasn't very nice," she said through clenched teeth.

She continued to groan in pain, and Stefan felt helpless - especially when she still hadn't said there was a problem. Caroline was strong, and she wouldn't like him assuming she couldn't handle whatever was happening. Still, he needed to ask. "Hey, you okay?"

"Mmhmm," she hummed again. "I think I should just- Umm… I'm just going to stand up for a second," she said as she wobbled to the edge of her bed.

She was standing fairly easily, but Stefan was still concerned at the plain fear in her expression. Caroline clearly hadn't been expecting this, and Stefan didn't know what to do.

"Hey, hey, Caroline," he said, reaching for her as she grew faint. The panic didn't set in until she fell onto the bed, completely nonresponsive. "Hey, Caroline! Caroline!"

As scared as he was, Stefan tried to keep his wits about him. She needed to go to the hospital; he could get her there. He would call Ric and Bonnie, find out what was wrong, and be there for Caroline when she woke up.

He might not be the father, but he was the partner. Stefan refused to let her face this alone.

* * *

She was crying, and it was all his fault.

He should have never left her. Damon might have been the one to give up, but Stefan was left to make the mistakes. The only small comfort came from the fact Caroline wouldn't be completely alone. Not only would she have Bonnie and Alaric, but there were also two little girls dependent on her to bring them into this world.

Still, he should have been with her. Even driving as fast and as far as he could away from Mystic Falls, it took everything in Stefan not to turn the around.

She was crying, and she was crying because of him.

Gripping the steering wheel, Stefan pushed down on the acceleration. His job was to love Caroline and to keep her safe; driving the Huntress away from her meant he was doing his job. He would fight like hell to get the scar off his chest and get back to Caroline.

The alternative was unacceptable.


End file.
